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First trailer for 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies' hits the web

THE SHIRE — Our last trip to Middle Earth is still a few months away, but now we have a glimpse at what the final chapter in The Hobbit saga, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” has in store for us. The first teaser for the finale of the trilogy gives us stunning visuals, a haunting song and a much darker tone than we’ve received in the previous films. Our Hobbit journey started in 2012 with “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” and continued in 2013 with “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.” The series has not received the high accolades or the box office numbers of its theatrical predecessor, “The Lord of the Rings” series, but it has done well enough to keep audiences excited for the final installment. “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” is rumored to be director Peter Jackson’s last foray into Middle Earth, but we never know with Jackson. He managed to get three nearly three-hour movies out of one book, so if someone could get Middle Earth back to the big screen it would be Jackson. “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” is due in theaters Dec. 17, 2014.